After conquering its home market of China with several exciting EVs, Xiaomi will soon start selling its cars internationally. Things will kick off in Europe next year, including in Germany, with the signing of several memorandums of understanding with dealership groups to make it happen.

Read: Xiaomi’s New $38,400 SUV Runs 314 Electric Miles Before Burning A Drop Of Gas

Xiaomi already operates a large research and development center in Munich, Germany, and will work alongside groups including LUEG Mobility GmbH, a Mercedes-Benz dealer, and Emil Frey Germany, one of the nation’s largest automotive dealership groups. Working with experienced partners will allow Xiaomi to hit the ground running with dealers that have already established trust with customers across Germany and have extensive experience in new-car sales.

In addition, working with dealerships rather than selling vehicles directly to consumers will give prospective buyers the chance to touch and feel Xiaomi products in the flesh before handing over any of their hard-earned cash.

Xiaomi’s models in Europe will be more expensive than the ones it sells in China. The EU imposes hefty tariffs on EVs imported from China, significantly increasing their prices. Xiaomi had yet to launch its first EV, the SU7 sedan, when the European Commission launched its investigation into Chinese EVs in 2023, and as a result, the technology company didn’t participate in the probe. As noted by the South China Morning Post, this means it could be hit with the highest possible duty of 45.3 percent.

Xiaomi’s Skynomad

Since it started selling vehicles, Xiaomi has delivered more than 700,000 units in China, a remarkable achievement given how new it is to this ultra-competitive industry. However, in China, Xiaomi is a well-established consumer product brand, often viewed as the ‘Apple of China.’ This gave it a huge competitive advantage over other new-vehicle brands as it’s already a trusted name.

Although Xiaomi products are also available in several overseas markets, they remain a relatively small player in regions like Europe and won’t be able to rely on familiarity to win over customers. Instead, it will need to convince shoppers with great features and competitive pricing, which is a tall task indeed, especially in the hotly contested markets of the Old Continent.

The Hyundai Staria Electric arrived in Korea earlier this year alongside the rest of the facelifted lineup, and the spaceship-shaped van has now made it to Europe, where Hyundai is positioning it against the VW ID. Buzz. The Staria is the bigger vehicle in every dimension that counts, with more room inside for people and their luggage.

Picking the Staria Electric out from its gasoline and hybrid siblings takes a look at the nose, where a redesigned front bumper hides the grille behind a smooth panel, adds a charging port, and puts active shutters in the lower intake. Aero wheels and a dedicated badge on the enormous tailgate finish the job.

More: Electric Kia PV7 Is Coming For The Ford Transit

At 5,253 mm (206.8 in) long, the Staria towers over the VW ID. Buzz and the Kia PV5. It also out-measures the standard Ford E-Tourneo Custom, VW e-Caravelle, Peugeot e-Traveller, Citroen e-Spacetourer, Opel Zafira-e Life, and Fiat E-Ulysse, though the long-wheelbase versions of those go further. It’s the same story with the new Mercedes-Benz VLE executive shuttle.

Generous Equipment

In Europe, the Staria Electric is available in three trim levels, called Trend, Prime, and Calligraphy. The base version comes standard with full-LED headlights, dual 12.3-inch displays, heated front seats, parking sensors, a reversing camera, a few ADAS and a three-row nine-seater layout.

More: Hyundai Is Now Charging You Extra For A Damn Gauge Cluster

The optional assistance package adds navigation, highway assist and a V2L adapter, while the premium package adds electric sliding doors and tailgate, sliding windows, sunshades, acoustic and heat-insulating privacy glass, plus a wireless charging pad. All of those come standard in the Staria Electric Prime which adds leather upholstery and ventilated front seats while offering an optional sliding roof for the first row and fixed panoramic roof for the second row.

The pictured Staria Electric Calligraphy is the only version with a seven-seat layout, built around a pair of comfort seats in the second row with heating, ventilation, and relaxation functions. The flagship also gets ambient lighting, a Bose sound system, a 360-degree camera, a suede-style headliner, Nappa leather, and the Passenger View and Talk system.

More: You Can Sleep And Even Wash Your Dishes In This Hyundai Van, But You Can’t Buy It Yet

Outside, the Calligraphy separates itself with a different front bumper housing larger projection headlights, Parametric Pixel LED taillight towers that climb to the roofline, and an exclusive Galaxy Maroon paint option.

Space For Nine And Their Luggage

Cargo capacity runs to 1,303 liters (46.0 cu ft) behind the third row in the nine-seater, with a 24-liter (0.85 cu ft) frunk for the charging cables. Towing capacity is 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) and maximum payload is 750 kg (1,653 lbs).

More: Kia Brought Its Electric Van To America As Something New York Actually Needs

Under the skin, the van is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor producing 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS). Energy is stored in a 84 kWh battery pack allowing WLTP range of up to 430 km (267 miles) between charges. Thanks to the 800-volt architecture, the Staria Electric can charge from 10-80% in approximately 20 minutes when connected to a DC charger, while it also gets a standard heat pump and battery heating system.

German Pricing

In Germany, the the Hyundai Staria Electric starts at €57,450 ($66,800) for the entry-level Trend trim, €63,650 ($74,000) for the mid-tire Prime, and €66,950 ($77,800) for the flagship Calligraphy. The assistance and premium packages add €2,100 ($2,400) each, while the panorama package adds €1,300 ($1,500).

By comparison, the smaller VW ID. Buzz Pro with the long wheelbase and the 86 kWh battery starts at €57,887 ($67,300) in the same market. On the other hand, the VW e-Caravelle starts at €66,080 ($76,800) with the short-wheelbase and the 70.9 kWh battery.

Hyundai

Many of the EVs offered by Audi in Western markets aren’t exactly class leaders, especially compared to some of the company’s newer rivals. However, in China, the all-caps AUDI brand does sell two innovative electric vehicles that we suspect could sell quite well elsewhere, and they’ve just begun landing in Germany.

The AUDI E5 Sportback and E7X, introduced over the past 18 months in China, were developed specifically for the local market in partnership with SAIC Motor. They are not officially sold anywhere else, but European-based importer Auto China has started selling them in limited numbers in Germany.

Read: China’s Ringless AUDI EV Is Flopping Like Overcooked Noodles

Auto China, which also offers parallel imports of several vehicles from Xiaomi, SAIC, and Li Auto, purchased the vehicles in China, ships them to Germany, and homologates them for the local market. This makes them a lot more expensive than they are in Germany. In fact, Automobilwoche reports that the E5 Sportback costs €59,980 ($70,130), while the larger E7X SUV starts at €72,900 ($85,200).

Still Undercutting Euro Rivals

To put those figures into perspective, the E5 Sportback starts at 205,990 yuan ($30,600) in China while the E7X is priced from 269,800 yuan ($40,100), meaning they cost roughly double when imported and sold in Germany by Auto China. Remarkably, even priced at €59,980 ($70,130) and €72,900 ($85,200), they’re still a lot cheaper than some of Audi’s homegrown products.

Perhaps the closest model to the E5 Sportback is Audi’s own S6 Sportback e-tron, and it starts at €99,500 ($116,300). Whereas the Chinese model has twin electric motors and 776 hp, the S6 Sportback e-tron tops out at 543 hp. Similarly, the Audi SQ6 e-tron, which doesn’t appear anywhere near as luxurious as the E7X, is priced from €93,800 ($109,700), making it much more expensive than the imported E7X.

But if you live in Germany and are tempted, buying a parallel import has risks. Audi could pursue legal action to stop their sale. In 2023, this is what VW did when a German importer brought in 20 Chinese-market ID.6s with plans to sell them, but after a drawn-out legal process, was ordered to destroy them all. Even if Audi doesn’t move to ban the import and sale of its Chinese models, owners will likely not be offered service or repair support.

The Porsche Taycan was introduced in 2019 as the first series production EV of the brand’s modern era and the poster child of its electrification push. However, the model could be facing an earlier-than-expected sunset as sales have collapsed with no sings of recovery.

More: Porsche’s Bad Calls Were Theirs, The 6,000 Extra Job Cuts Are Everyone Else’s

According to a new report by German publication WirtschaftsWoche, Porsche is planning to end production of the Taycan by 2030 at the latest. Without a new generation on the horizon, this might spell the end of the nameplate after around 10 years on sale, leaving the Panamera as the sole sedan offering in the Porsche lineup.

The Numbers Behind The Decision

The decision to axe the Taycan stems from cooling demand for luxury EVs and the need to cut down costs in a challenging period for the Stuttgart brand. Taycan sales plummeted from a peak of 40,629 units in 2023 to 20,836 units in 2024 before sinking further to 16,339 units in 2025. Things are not looking better this year, with slightly more than 6,000 examples delivered in the first half of 2026.

That weak performance has already rippled through the Zuffenhausen factory, where Porsche has halted Taycan assembly for stretches in recent months.

WirtschaftsWoche claims that the automaker explored transferring assembly to its Leipzig plant, and even considered an immediate termination of the model line. However, the management eventually decided to keep production in Stuttgart and prepare for a gradual retirement prior to 2030.

More: Porsche’s Profit Margin Cratered To 1.1%, So It’s Killing Variants

Porsche declined to comment on the latest report. Still, in a recent interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Porsche CEO Michael Leiters acknowledged that the company has already started trimming Taycan configurations, while insisting there was no immediate plan to retire the nameplate. He described the approach as watching market demand play out after the enormous capital Porsche sank into the car.

What Replaces It

Dropping the Taycan would open a slot for a fully electric Panamera, mirroring what Porsche did with the mechanically related Cayenne and confirming earlier reports about a consolidation. At the moment, the brand’s zero-emission roster consists of the Taycan in sedan, Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo forms, plus the electric Macan and Cayenne SUVs.

BMW has kicked off production of the all-electric i3 sedan in Germany, and the significance runs beyond the car itself. The i3 is shaping up as a legitimate rival to the Tesla Model 3, but the bigger story sits with the factory itself. From next year, BMW’s Munich plant will build nothing but EVs, ending decades of combustion-car history at the site where the company has produced vehicles since the 1950s.

Getting there took a substantial rework of the facility. BMW added a new body shop to support production of the i3 and the Neue Klasse models that follow it, along with fresh vehicle assembly and logistics areas and a new delivery hall. The company credits those changes, plus new production technologies and tighter cooperation between departments and suppliers, with cutting manufacturing costs at the plant by 10 percent.

Read: BMW’s Electric i3 Wagon Just Got Caught, And Its Roofline Hides A Trick

Orders for the new i3 opened in mid-June, and BMW says the reception has been strong enough to trigger a steep production ramp-up. The company won’t say how many are rolling out each day, though it has noted that i3 demand has outpaced even the new iX3, which drew more than 50,000 orders in its first few months.

Efficient And Powerful

“The start of production of the BMW i3 heralds a new era for our main plant,” BMW board member Raymond Wittman said. “With the fully-electric BMW i3, we are bringing together what belongs together: The 3 Series embodies BMW more than almost any other model – and Plant Munich represents our brand more than almost any other production site.”

The i3 is initially available in i3 50 xDrive configuration. This model uses a 108.7 kWh battery pack and has two electric motors combining to produce 463 hp and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque, allowing it to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. More impressively, the car boasts a WLTP driving range of up to 563 miles (906 km). What’s more, the 800-volt architecture and 400kW DC fast charging support allow 263 miles (423 km) of range to be added in just ten minutes.

Every year we’re told the next breakthrough in battery technology will finally make EVs more affordable. Quietly, that’s already started happening… at least on the manufacturing side. According to a new study out of Germany, global battery costs have fallen by roughly 35 percent in real terms since 2020. Yet if you’ve been shopping for an EV lately, you’ve probably noticed they haven’t become dramatically cheaper. In fact, the median advertised price actually went up. Here’s why.

Read: Used Hybrid And EV Prices Have Jumped $3,600 Even After The Tax Credit Died

Researchers from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) analyzed more than 100,000 passenger car configurations sold in Germany between 2020 and 2025. When comparing equivalent models and adjusting for inflation, vehicle weight, power output, battery capacity, and electric range, they found battery electric vehicle prices fell by about 18 percent in real terms over the five-year period. Yes, prices fell by almost one-fifth. At the same time, internal combustion vehicles became roughly 2 percent more expensive.

The study attributes much of that price drop to falling battery costs. What’s particularly interesting is the gap between the roughly 35 percent decline in battery prices and the 18 percent reduction in vehicle prices. Researchers say manufacturers appear to have used some of those savings to increase driving range, improve vehicle specifications, or offset research and development costs instead of cutting sticker prices even further.

Why The Median Price Climbed

On top of that, the overall market tells us an even more interesting story. The study confirms that individual EV models became cheaper while the median advertised price across the entire German market actually went up, growing from around €38,000 ($44,000) in 2020 to €54,000 ($62,000) in 2025.

That’s largely because the number of available EV models exploded from 38 to 159 during the study period, with much of that growth coming from larger, more expensive vehicles in the lower-medium, medium and upper-medium segments. Buyers shopping for smaller, more affordable EVs still have relatively few choices, with mini and small cars accounting for just 14 percent of all BEV models on sale.

It’s worth noting that the findings reflect the German market rather than the United States, where incentives, taxes and consumer preferences differ considerably. Even so, the report highlights an important reality for anyone expecting dramatically cheaper EVs. Falling battery costs don’t automatically translate into lower sticker prices. Sometimes they become longer range, more equipment, or simply more expensive vehicles.

Germany’s turn to electric cars stopped being theoretical last month. Battery-electric models outsold every other powertrain in June, taking 28.4 percent of the country’s market and finishing ahead of hybrids for the first time. That figure would have looked absurd two years ago in a country whose industrial identity is welded to the internal combustion engine.

Read: Tesla’s Model Y Went From 42nd In January To Europe’s Best-Seller In March

Figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) reveal that 84,057 new EVs were sold last month, a 78.2 percent rise from June last year. This allowed EVs to narrowly edge out hybrids, which had been the most popular powertrain option the month prior. Hybrid registrations came to 83,315, a hair behind the EV total but still good for a 28.1 percent share.

Germany Car Registrations By Powertrain Type

Crucially, both EVs and hybrids are now comfortably outselling traditional petrol-powered vehicles, which held a 20.5 percent share of the market with 60,796 registrations in June. Trailing petrol-powered cars were diesels with 33,862 sales, or an 11.4 percent market share, slightly ahead of plug-in hybrids with 32,212 sold, enough for a 10.9 percent share.

Which EVs Are Most Popular?

The most popular EV in Germany last month was the Tesla Model Y with an impressive 6,023 sales recorded. This placed it well ahead of the VW ID.3 in second with 3,514 registrations, followed by the Skoda Enyaq with 3,383, and the Skoda Elroq with 3,315. Other cars among the top 10 best-selling EVs included the BMW X1, Mini (it’s unclear which specific model), Audi A6 e-tron, VW ID.7, Cupra Tavascan, and Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric.

The Model Y proved to be so popular that it was actually the third best-selling new car overall in June. It only trailed the VW Golf, which recorded 8,117 sales, and the VW T-Roc, with 6,808 units sold.

Although EV and hybrid sales are surging in Germany, the vast majority of the nation’s total vehicle fleet still relies solely on fossil fuels. In fact, there are currently 61.3 million registered vehicles on German roads, of which 59.3 percent are powered by petrol and 27 percent by diesel engines. Hybrids account for 6.5 percent while BEVs have a 4.1 percent share.

Germany Best-Selling EVs June 2026

KBA

Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland (VGRD) has rolled out an “innovative salary conversion” program that enables shoppers to get discounts on electric vehicles. This isn’t pocket change as the company noted customers can save up to 50% compared to private leasing without a down payment.

The program is known as e.loop and it effectively sees employers lease a new EV for their employees with money taken out of their salary. That sounds a little convoluted, but the automaker said the employer signs an agreement with VGRD and then employees can select their desired vehicle online. “The monthly payment is deducted directly from gross income as part of a salary sacrifice arrangement, automatically resulting in a benefit in payroll taxes.”

More: VW’s New ID. Polo Starts Under $30K And Brings EVs To The Masses

Volkswagen suggests this is as simple as a four or five step process, and much of it can be done online. They went on to note the program should be attractive to employers as it enables them to take advantage of tax benefits for electric vehicles, helps retain and attract workers, and improves their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) profile. They added it requires minimal administrative effort and provides access to everything from the Volkswagen ID.3 to the Porsche Cayenne Electric.

Employees get significant savings and all-inclusive ownership. This includes the vehicle, insurance, and maintenance. Volkswagen suggests the process is relatively straight forward and the hardest choice is selecting what EV you want.

Automobilwoche says the program is similar to company bike initiatives and customers can choose between 24 or 36 month terms. The program already appears to be a hit as VGRD said interest is “very high” and officials believe the e.loop program could account for 5-10% of new cars sales in Germany by 2030.

While the program sounds like a win-win for employers and employees, there appears to be some possible downsides. The biggest is that companies could get stuck with a car after an employee leaves the organization.

Chinese EV startup Leapmotor, which has expanded into global markets, including Europe, on the back of its partnership with Stellantis and its sales network, just posted record numbers for the first half of 2026. Once you see how cheap some of the company’s newest models are, the surge makes sense. In Germany, one of Leapmotor’s entry-level EVs can be had for just €48.90 ($56) a month, and no, that number isn’t missing a zero. That works out to less than most people spend on a monthly phone plan for an actual car with a warranty.

A couple of years back, the German government pulled its EV subsidies, and sales cratered almost overnight. The incentives returned this January, knocking up to €6,000 ($6,800) off the price of a new EV for a family with at least two children and a combined income under €45,000 ($51,500).

Read: Stellantis Turns A Tiny Chinese Hatch Into A Delivery Van That’s Light On The Van Part

With that subsidy in play, plenty of shoppers can skip the down payment and delivery fees entirely and worry only about the monthly bill. The Leapmotor T03, which retails for €18,900 ($21,600), currently runs just €48.90 ($56) a month across a 36-month term, with mileage capped at 10,000 km (6,213 miles) per year. When the lease ends, buyers can purchase the T03 outright for €11,139 ($12,700) or hand back the keys and shop around for something else.

Why Is It So Cheap?

While one could argue that a family earning less than €45,000 ($51,500) shouldn’t be looking at a new car but rather a used one, being able to lease and drive one for just €1,760 ($2,010) over three years is one heck of a deal.

“The vehicle’s extremely competitive pricing is made possible by Leapmotor’s high level of cost efficiency,” Leapmotor told Nikkei Asia in an interview. “One key factor behind this is the company’s extensive vertical integration. Additionally, the leasing rate, which starts at just 49 euros, is made possible by German government incentives.”

Leapmotor Sales Surge

Some observers figured Leapmotor was pricing the T03 this low to clear inventory, worried the compact EV would fall foul of new EU rules that require camera-based driver assistance systems, upgraded autonomous emergency braking, and enlarged head impact protection zones for pedestrians and cyclists. However, a Leapmotor spokesman has rejected this, stating the T03 complies with these new rules.

Through the first half of 2026, Leapmotor has sold 356,487 vehicles globally, a 95 percent increase over the same period last year. It enjoyed a particularly strong June, selling a total of 93,376 models, also a 95 percent year-on-year increase. Since its formation, the company has sold more than 1.55 million cars.